Excelsior Correspondent
![Health Minister Ch Lal Singh interacting with doctors and others during visit to a health institution on Sunday.](http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/page538.jpg)
JAMMU, May 24: Minister for Health and Medical Education, ARI and Trainings Departments, Choudhary Lal Singh today conducted surprise inspection of Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Bari Brahamna, Government Emergency Hospital and Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Ramgarh, District Hospital (DH), Samba, Trauma Hospital Ghagwal, Sub-District Hospital Hiranagar, Mahatma Gandhi Maternity Hospital and District Hospital Kathua.
The surprise check was conducted by the Minister in view of the persistent complaints by the public regarding non-availability of medicos and paramedical staff in these hospitals during holidays.
Director Health Services Dr. Baljeet Singh Pathania, Director Family Welfare Dr. Baldev Sharma, Project Director AIDS Control Society, Dr Mohan Singh, Deputy Controller Drug and Food Control Organization, Lotika Khajuria, State Tuberculosis Officer Dr. Ajay Kumar Gupta, Deputy Director Health Services (HQ) Dr. Gurjeet Singh besides Chief Medical Officers and Block Medical Officers accompanied the Minister.
During his surprise visit to PHC Bari Brahamna, Ch Lal Singh directed the medicos and paramedics to remain present in the hospital as per duty roaster and provide round the clock healthcare facilities to the people.
The Minister directed the Block Medical Officer to store sufficient stock of medicines including equipments as medical aid camp is being arranged for Shri Amarnath Yatries at various places during Yatra period.
Taking serious note of the stock of expired medicines by Pharmacist of the PHC, the Minister imposed a fine of Rs 500 on him and directed him to display the list of unexpired medicines on the prominent place of the hospital for the information of the general public.
At Emergency Hospital, Vijaypur, Ch Lal Singh found some of the patients without pillow and bed sheets and imposed fine of Rs 1000 on Incharge Medical Officer for dereliction of duty.
On the absence of the Block Medical Officer, Vijaypur, Ch Lal Singh imposed fine of Rs 10,000 and Rs 500 on one Community Health Officer for not maintaining the proper record of the hospital.
At District Hospital Samba, the Minister inspected the healthcare facilities and duty roaster of the medicos and paramedics. At Trauma Hospital Ghagwal, he inspected the ongoing construction work of additional block of the hospital and directed the executing agency to complete the project by October this year.
To meet the shortfall of paramedics in the hospital, he asked CMO Samba to detach all the officials attached in other districts of the Jammu province so that the hospital functioning doesn’t suffer.
At Sub-District Hospital, Ghagwal, Ch Lal Singh imposed Rs. 3000 fine to Paramedic staff and Rs. 5000 to Block Medical Officer on the absence of most of the staff in the hospital.
Later, the Minister also visited Lakhanpur and inspected site for establishment of Medical Aid Camp for Shri Amarnath Yatries. He asked the accompanying District Development Commissioner Kathua Ajay Singh Jamwal to make efforts for providing basic amenities to the Yatries during Yatra period.
Earlier, the Minister visited Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar and found three senior doctors having not attended the call duty as per routine roaster. He imposed fine of Rs 1000 on each doctor for dereliction of duties. He also imposed fine of Rs 10000 on Medical Superintendent of the hospital for not maintaining cleanliness and housekeeping including laundry services in the hospital.